The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Long before she was the super-stylish Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker was a geek with frizzy hair. Kristin Davis was one very conniving Angeleno. Cynthia Nixon was a maid for a celebrated musician. And Kim Cattrall was having sex in the boys' room (OK, some things never change). We look back at how the 'Sex and the City' stars began their careers in Hollywood.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Sarah Jessica Parker

'Square Pegs' (1982-1983)

SJP wasn't the popular girl (that was Tracy Nelson) or the brainy one (that was Jami Gertz) in this high school sitcom, she was one of the 'Square Pegs' -- yes, she was a nerd. The show lasted only one season, but skinny, frizzy-haired, bespectacled Patty Greene made many a gal believe she too could grow up to be a fashionista.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kim Cattrall

'Rosebud' (1975)

Need evidence that Cattrall is indeed the veteran among the 'SATC' cast? She made her film debut in this terrorism thriller directed by groundbreaking Austrian director Otto Preminger and co-starring Peter O'Toole and Richard Attenborough ... in their primes.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kristin Davis

'Nine Months' (1995)

Ironically, one of Davis' first big-screen appearances was in the she's-having-a-baby rom-com 'Nine Months,' starring Julianne Moore and Hugh Grant. Davis has a bit part as a tennis attendant in the flick; now, in the 'SATC' movie ... she's having a baby.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Cynthia Nixon

'Little Darlings' (1980)

In her big-screen debut, Nixon was hippie-dippie Sunshine in 'Little Darlings,' starring Tatum O'Neal and Kristy McNichol as teens at summer camp vying to see which one can lose her virginity first. It's 'Sex and the City' for the Clearasil set.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Sarah Jessica Parker

'Footloose' (1984)

A child actor since 8, the Ohio native's first major film role came with bootie socks, tractor chicken and a side of Bacon. There are definite shades of Carrie Bradshaw in her character Rusty, who helps bring bad girl Ariel (Lori Singer) and bad boy Ren (Kevin Bacon) together.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kim Cattrall

'Porky's' (1982)

Is it really any surprise Cattrall would go on to play one of television's most proudly promiscuous characters? One of her first significant movie roles came as Honeywell (aka "Lassie") in 'Porky's,' which is like the 'Birth of a Nation' of teenage sex comedies.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Chris Noth

'Naked in New York' (1993)

And the winner for the 'Sex and the City' star with an early acting credit whose title is remarkably similar is ... Chris Noth! The actor appeared in many bit roles in the '80s and early '90s, including 'Baby Boom' (he played "Yuppie Husband") and this indie ensemble with Eric Stoltz and Mary-Louise Parker.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Cynthia Nixon

'Amadeus' (1984)

The only 'Sex and the City' star to appear in an Oscar Best Picture-winning film? That would be Nixon, rocked by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) as his tearful maid in this Milos Forman biopic.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Sarah Jessica Parker

'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' (1985)

As Janey, the Catholic schoolgirl who dreams of dance stardom, Parker is so cute that she hooks her hottie dance partner (Lee Montgomery) despite possessing mortifying gym clothes and very little game. The popular '80s flick also starred a young Helen Hunt as Janey's BFF.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kristin Davis

'Melrose Place' (1995-1996)

Good-girl Charlotte would've been appalled by bad, very baaaaad girl Brooke Armstrong, a conniving beeyotch who ousted Alison from her job, married Alison's ex Billy, lied about being pregnant and finally drowned in the Melrose Place swimming pool. Cover your eyes, Char!

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Cynthia Nixon

'The Manhattan Project' (1986)

Sarah Jessica Parker wasn't the only 'SATC' star to mix it up with John Lithgow in the '80s (see 'Footloose'). Nixon earned her biggest film role to date in this sci-fi comedy involving "sexy lasers," playing a student journalist who helps expose Lithgow's atomic bomb builder.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kim Cattrall

'Police Academy' (1984)

Cattrall was Cadet Karen Thompson in the first 'Academy,' but she wisely chose to forego any of its many sequels. Steve Guttenberg should've taken the hint: When even Samantha is saying no to men in uniforms, it's time to pack it in.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Sarah Jessica Parker

'Flight of the Navigator' (1986)

As if just having '80s hair wasn't bad enough, Parker's regrettable 'do is memorably dissed by the junior hero (Joey Cramer) of this adored Disney fantasy. And this from a kid who's just returned from space.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Chris Noth

'Law & Order' (1990-1995)

From the pilot of 'Law & Order' (wow, he IS old) through 111 episodes, Noth played Mike Logan, a volatile detective with an uncanny knack for solving crimes. Transferred to Staten Island for punching a politician (aka, fired from the show over a salary dispute) in 1995, he went on to Bigger things before returning to 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' in '05.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kristin Davis

'Seinfeld' (1997)

Davis was Jenna, Jerry's girlfriend who used her toothbrush after it had fallen into Jerry's toilet. Oy-vey -- you'd never catch Charlotte putting something like that in her mouth.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Kim Cattrall

'Mannequin' (1987)

Every cougar was once a sex kitten, and Cattrall set many a teen boy's heart purring with her breakout (or so it seemed) star turn as a mannequin who comes to life, falls in love with Andrew McCarthy, and helps him become the best darn window dresser in the biz. Plus, all the free clothes she could want! Samantha would surely approve.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Cynthia Nixon

'Addams Family Values' (1993)

Nixon had a cameo as Heather, the first in a string of nannies brought in to watch over the morbidly mischievous Pugsley and Wednesday. Not surprisingly, she doesn't stick around. But the experience might've come in handy for Miranda, who was the first of the 'SATC' ladies to go to that scary place ... babyland.

The Early Roles of 'SATC' Stars

Sarah Jessica Parker

'LA Story' (1991)

In her first grown-up film role, Parker displays impressive giddiness as SanDeE* (nope, not a typo), an aspiring spokesmodel who introduces Steve Martin to the joys of gum-chewing and enemas.